Pokemon Ranger: The Kanto Saga
by Austin-Keith
Summary: Hard to summarize this one; basically Pokemon Ranger, the Anime, and OC's rolled into one. Pokeshippy, but more than just that.
1. Chapter 1A

Misty still couldn't believe it, especially because it had been Ash's idea. They had revealed their feelings of love to one another, and had become boyfriend and girlfriend. Daisy had even taken over the gym to allow Misty to leave. However, Misty was growing tired of the constant "Pokémon Master" babbling, and wanted to have fun with Pokémon in a way that didn't involve some grand goal for themselves. Remembering Kellyn, Ash suggested they become Pokémon Rangers. Misty loved the idea, and the two set off for the Ranger School.

Now, three years later, they're the only Area Rangers in Kanto. Misty wears a female version of Kellyn's outfit, but Ash prefers a version with long pants. One day, they walked into the Ranger Base in Pallet Town for a new Mission. They had decided to build Kanto's only Ranger Base in Pallet because they wanted the town to have something special other than Oak's musty old lab. "Morning Tracey, how are things going?" Ash asked. Tracey had become an Operator so he could do more than just help out Oak. "Well, things were fine until an hour ago. Remember those Team Rocket hostages you freed a few days ago?" Tracey asked. Ash and Misty nodded.

"Well, one of them came back yesterday, said he remembered something he thought we should know. He said he overheard a couple of execs talking about a project when he was being led to his cell. Apparently the project involves turning people into Pokémon. He also said he heard something about a base on a small island between here and Cinnabar. I searched the area via satellite, and I found the island. There's not much on it if you look directly down on it, but when I looked at it from an angle using a satellite over Cinnabar, I could see some manmade structures built into the island." Tracey said.

"We should probably investigate, a project like that has major potential." Misty said. "Give me your stylers and I'll put the island on your maps. I'll also charge them as usual." Tracey said. Ash and Misty nodded and handed over their Capture Stylers. Tracey updated their maps, and charged their stylers. "Alright, your maps are updated and you're all charged up. Now get out there and investigate!" Tracey said. Ash and Misty nodded, and left the base.

Ash and Misty walked down to the beach south of Pallet Town while mentally preparing for the mission ahead. "Put on your Micro Aqualung Ash, we're going under." Misty said. Ash nodded. The two put on the devices, and dove into the water. They swam roughly 300 meters offshore before finding a few Mantine. "CAPTURE, ON!" Ash exclaimed. He deftly began to capture a Mantine, constantly evading its Bubblebeam attacks.

After a few minutes' effort, Ash and Misty swam off on the backs of two Mantine. Moving faster now, the trip to the island went quickly. Ash and Misty released the Mantine and surfaced about 50 meters offshore. "I feel more like a spy than a ranger right now." Ash said. "Regardless of the title, it's our job." Misty replied. Ash nodded.

The two pulled some binoculars out of water proof bags, and studied the island. "tracey was right, Team Rocket's all over this place!" Ash remarked. "We have to find a way to sneak in." Misty said. The two seasoned Rangers scanned the island, trying to find some way to sneak in. Suddenly, Misty's Styler went off. It was Tracey using the voicemail feature. "Guys, I found a way you can sneak in. There's a beach on the south end of the island that's almost unguarded. A patrol goes by every 15 minutes, but you should be able to avoid them."

"Thanks Tracey, we'll give it a try." Misty replied. The two Rangers swam to the south side of the island, snuck onto the beach, and moved inland undetected. They snuck by some grunts patrolling the entrance area, and entered the base undetected. Misty also swiped a map from one of the grunts' pockets. Using the map, they easily found their target. Soon enough, they entered a large lab full of Pokémon, and found an odd machine. They silently moved towards the machine, but out of nowhere they were swarmed by grunts. Misty deftly captured a nearby Vaporeon, and started taking out someof the grunts and their Pokémon.

Ash tried to capture a Persian, but had difficulty in doing so. Before he could complete the capture, he was surrounded. He screamed as he was grabbed, and flailed around until he was finally thrown into the machine. One grunt turned it on, and Ash screamed in pain. Misty fought back tears as she began to rapidly take out more grunts in a fit of rage. "Die you assholes!" she exclaimed. Suddenly, sparks flew from the machine and it exploded, creating massive smoke cloud.

"Ash…" Misty said. She was now on the verge of sobbing uncontrollably, and believed Ash to be dead. Shockingly, lightning flew from inside the cloud and hit some grunts, knocking them out. Ash stepped out of the cloud and revealed the shocking effects of the machine. He was now blonde haired, covered in short fur, and sported red cheeks and a tail. "You guys are gonna pay for this!" he exclaimed. Misty was shocked and relieved to say the least, but continued defeating grunts just the same. As the smoke cloud slowly cleared, it became obvious to everyone that Ash had completely disintegrated the machine. All that remained was a pile of ashes.

With the machine destroyed, all that remained was the large number of grunts attacking them. Ash began taking them out in groups, unleashing electric hell. He released Pikachu, his partner Pokémon, from his ball. Pikachu had only been in the ball because they didn't have a micro aqualung for him, and Ash had forgotten to let him out upon arrival on the island. Pikachu stretched a bit at first, and then started zapping as many grunts as his trainer.

Misty then saw something out of the corner of her eyes. Whirling around, she saw a Rocket Executive running off towards a chopper. She and the Vaporeon dashed off towards it, hoping to stop the escape. "Vaporeon, use Water Gun on those rotors!" Misty commanded. "Vapo!" it cried in pokespeak. It unleashed a powerful Water Gun on the rotors, causing them to spark and explode. The chopper was grounded.

Misty cuffed the pilot, but the executive tried to run. Vaporeon tripped him with its tail. "Nice job Vaporeon!" Misty said as she cuffed the executive. "Nice job Misty." Ash said, appearing suddenly. "H-How did you just do that?" Misty exclaimed. "Agility and Quick Attack." Ash replied with a grin. "Ah, I see. Are the grunts taken care of?" Misty asked in response. "They're all unconscious. I called in some choppers to come arrest them all." Ash answered. Misty released the Vaporeon she had caught, but rather than run away, it glomped her. "I think that Vaporeon likes you Misty!" Ash said, chuckling. "Alright girl, you can stay with me." Misty said to the Vaporeon. It cooed happily.

The two hung around on the island until choppers from the Kanto police arrived and took all the Team Rocket members away. "Ready to head back home?" Ash asked once most of the prisoners were loaded up. "Sure, let's go." Misty replied. They walked towards the beach, but a red and gold helicopter landed in front of them, blocking their way. "Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower?" a man on the chopper asked. "That's us." Ash said. "Your presence is requested at the Ranger Union." the man said, "We're supposed to take you there." "Alright then, let's go." Ash replied. He and Misty climbed on board without any argument, and the chopper flew off towards Almia.

The flight lasted a few hours, but eventually the chopper touched down at the Ranger Union. Erma was standing near the helipad, obviously waiting for them. Ash and Misty disembarked and went with her. Meanwhile, the chopper was refueled. "You two have done the world a great service by stopping that Team Rocket plot. The Ranger Union wishes to bestow a special honor upon you as an expression of our gratitude." Erma said as she led Ash and Misty to the meeting room. Inside the room, there were twelve people. All had the same kind of styler as Kellyn, who happened to be one of them.

Ash exchanged subtle glances with Kellyn as Erma led him and Misty to the front of the room. "Welcome everyone. Today we have gathered for a rare event. Ash, Misty, standing before you are the only twelve Top Rangers in the world. I understand you're friends with Kellyn, so you know him already." Erma started. She went on to introduce the eleven other Top Rangers. "Now that we all know each other, it's time for the real event. Ash Ketchum and Misty Waterflower, in recognition of your skills, and to show our gratitude for your recent efforts…" Erma continued. Professor Hastings then handed Erma two Stylers that were just like Kellyn's, and then stepped back. "…we bestow upon you the title of Top Ranger." Erma finished. She handed Ash and Misty the stylers, and took their old ones.

Ash and Misty were ecstatic to say the least. "Thank you so much Ms. Chairperson!" Ash said. "Thank you all, I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say that it's an honor to receive this rank." Misty said. The other Top Rangers began shake hands with the new inductees. Once the ceremony ended, the crowd dispersed. However, Ash, Misty and Kellyn remained in the room.

"I still can't believe I'm a Top Ranger like you Kellyn!" Ash said. "It's nice to meet you Kellyn, I'm Misty." Misty said more calmly. "So you're Misty! Ash has told me a lot about you, it's nice to finally meet." Kellyn replied. Ash looked kind of shot-down. "Yes, it's cool that you're a Top Ranger Ash." Kellyn said nonchalantly. Ash grinned widely. "Anyways, I think we'd better head to Kanto, we can't leave it Rangerless for too long." Kellyn said. "We?" Ash said. His eyes then got wide. "YOU'RE COMING WITH US?" he exclaimed.

Kellyn chuckled. "Yeah, there are plenty of Rangers here, and I've been meaning to visit you anyway." he replied. "Sweet! This is gonna be awesome! " Ash said excitedly. The man from the chopper then walked in and said "The chopper's fueled up and ready to go. Let's get you two back to Kanto." "I'm coming too." Kellyn said. "Of course sir." The man said. The four then headed out to the chopper, and flew back to Kanto.


	2. Chapter 1B

I woke up more excited than usual, and almost fell out of bed. "The outdoor class is today!" I thought. Climbing safely down my bunk's ladder to the ground, I turned to the bottom bunk. Sleeping in it was my bunkmate.

"Pika, wake up!" I exclaimed. Pika, my dark haired, slightly chubby friend and bunkmate, yawned and sat up. "Morning Austin." He said. "Good morning Pika." I replied. "Hey guys, ready for Justin's surprise wakeup call?" came a voice behind us. I turned around to face another bunk bed about 4 feet away. Looking down at me from the top bunk was my friend Tyler.

Pika, Tyler and I are students at the Pokemon Ranger School, which is located on School Island in scenic Almia. Tyler and I are here to be Rangers, as is our aforementioned friend Justin. However, Pika is here to be a mechanic. We all hope to work together someday, but for now we just share a quad. A quad is one of four sets of two bunk beds- or four bunks- in the corners of the boys' dorm.

"Sure Ty, climb on down and we'll give Justin a shock he's sure to remember." I replied. Tyler climbed down, and Pika got out of bed. Tyler and I climbed under Justin's low bunk, and Pika positioned himself in a spot where he could catch Justin. "Ready." Pika said. On cue, Tyler and I pushed one side of Justin's Mattress upward, causing him to roll down the slope and into Pika's arms, where he awoke dizzily.

After shaking off the dizziness, he stood up. "You three…" he said angrily. The rest of us shared a laugh. A bell rang, signaling breakfast time. Still in our pajamas, we all headed downstairs and ate breakfast. Once that was done, we returned to the dorms and put on our school uniforms. We chatted for a short while before heading to class.

We had a short lecture before the bell rang to signify that the guest Ranger had arrived and we were to head outside. All the other students rushed outside, while Tyler, Pika, Justin and I met up and headed out together. The class was in Ascension Square. We arrived there behind most of the other students, but ahead of the teachers. The principal was already there, however, so the Ranger didn't have to do crowd control duty.

The teachers arrived very quickly, so we had no time to talk. The Ranger standing in the middle of the semicircle we students formed was cool looking, but his styler was odd looking. The principal then spoke. "Students, today we have a special guest who's volunteered to speak to you about being a Pokémon Ranger, and answer any questions you may have. Please welcome Top Ranger Kellyn, a graduate of this school." he said.

The Top Ranger began talking to us, and we learned a lot about what being a Ranger is like. Then came what our teacher called "The Question and Answer session of Terror". Several kids got to ask questions before Kellyn finally got to Justin. "Have you ever failed a mission?" he asked. "Well I haven't failed one per say, but I've come close a few times." Kellyn replied. A few questions later, he called on Pika. "Do mechanics help out Rangers a lot?" Pika asked. "Yeah, big time! Without mechanics, Team Dim Sun would still be at large!" Kellyn replied.

I was called on last, and asked "Have you ever worked in Kanto?" "Well, I have a friend there I've been meaning to visit, but I haven't done any missions there yet." Kellyn replied. With that, the session ended and we went back inside.

As we neared the building, the bell rang to signal lunch. We all headed inside to the cafeteria, hungry as could be. Lunch was normal, with the exception that everyone was talking about the outdoor class. Pika said he was even more excited about being a mechanic, because Kellyn said they were very helpful. I wasn't as excited, Kellyn had lessened my hopes of getting assigned to Kanto. Just before lunch ended, I was called to the principal's office for some reason. I was told that the teacher knew I'd be out of class.

I entered the principal's office nervously. I had mischievously set some rowdy school Pokémon loose in the halls last week, and I was afraid he'd finally figured out it was me. "Sit down." The principal instructed me as I walked in. I sat in the chair facing his desk, and it was then that I noticed he was on the phone.

"Your mother is on the phone with some interesting news." The principal said. "Please don't ask about my you-know-what's!" I prayed. "She wants to speak to you, and she says it's urgent." he said. Then he handed me the phone.

"Hello?" I said, speaking into the phone. "Hey Austin, I have something… odd to tell you." She said. "I'm all ears." I replied. "One of our ancient ancestors is the only known human to have come in contact with the extinct Pokémon Soleon, an eeveelution that was the polar opposite of Umbreon. To be exact, our ancestor mated with the Pokémon. However disgusting it may sound, we cannot forget about it because it has caused a sort of enchantment on our family. One male every fifth generation of our family turns into a Soleon on this very date when they are ten years old. Since Ash is still human, I believe that you're the next victim. I packed special clothing for you; chances are it's still at the bottom of your bag. I love you." My mom said. "Wow… um, thanks for the warning. I love you too mom." I said. "I hope the change isn't too painful." Mom said before hanging up. "So do I…" I thought.

I handed the phone back to the principal, who looked at me. "You are excused from classes for the remainder of the day under medical leave. Have a nice day." I thanked him, and walked out of the office. I went to the boys' dorm, and sat down on my bunk. I winced as the subtle back pain I had felt since that morning suddenly flared up. I also felt pain around my tailbone, and got a splitting headache. Aching in pain, I doubled over and lay face down on my bed.

I could feel something pushing out from my back, so I quickly removed the top of my Ranger School uniform. Then I felt something else pushing out from my rear, so I removed my pants. Wearing nothing but my briefs, I opened my bag and dug through until I found the special clothing my mom had packed. There were pants with elastic tail holes, shirts with wing holes, and even briefs with tail holes. I quickly swapped out my briefs, and then sat still while I waited for the transformation to complete.

Fur began to grow all over my body, and suddenly the small bulge in my briefs disappeared. My new wings soon extended out of my back, and folded flat against it. After that, my new tail grew out of my rear, and I guided it through the tail hole in my briefs. With that done, I was left with the splitting headache. My ears moved to the top of my head, and grew larger and poofier. I was now a full-fledged anthro Soleon.

It was then that an unusual thought entered my head. "Do I still have private parts?" I determined my rear was still pretty much the same, but as for my front... well that was another story. I looked down the front of my briefs, and saw nothing. I then reached a paw down to my crotch and felt myself. For some odd reason, it felt good. I suddenly saw my private part come out of my body and reveal itself. Satisfied with the knowledge that I still had private parts, I removed my paw.

I grabbed a shirt from my bag, and put it on. It took a minute to situate my wings, but I managed to get the shirt on properly. After that, I put on a pair of school uniform pants with a tail hole in them. I decided not to put on the jacket. Now dressed and a bit sore, I headed down to the cafeteria 45 minutes early. The nice lady who cooks the meals let me have my food early, and I ate without any distractions.

"That was sure nice of the cafeteria lady to let me have my food early; I'll have to pay her back somehow." I thought as I headed back up to the boys' dorm. In the dorm, I hauled my sore body into bed, took off my pants, and crawled under the sheets. It was only 6:00, but I felt tired as hell. While my friends must have been chowing down on barbecue sandwiches, I drifted off to sleep; my entire body under the covers.

- (Tyler's POV)

Justin, Pika and I arrived in the dorm at 8:00 that night after we had a little fun in the courtyard. We were all worried about Austin, because the teacher had announced that he was excused from class for medical reasons. However, we would have to wait until the next day to talk to him, as he was asleep when we arrived.

When we awoke the next morning, Austin was gone. We were really starting to worry now. Figuring that he might be in the cafeteria, we headed downstairs to eat. We waited in line as usual, while everyone served by the cafeteria lady. Something was unusual though, as we could see a commotion at the front of the line. Looking out at the tables, we could see that everyone was talking excitedly about something. Cursing ourselves for being the last people out of bed, we stepped up to the food counter.

"Hey guys, what can I get you?" came a familiar voice. All three of our jaws dropped as we saw Austin standing behind the counter, covered in white fur. "A-Austin, you're a Soleon?" I exclaimed, immediately recognizing the extinct Pokémon from my studying. "Yeah, turns out it runs in the family." he replied.

"Cool. I guess I'll have pancakes." I said. "Coming right up." Austin said. The cafeteria lady handed him a plate, which he handed to me. "Justin, you want waffles as usual?" he asked. Justin just nodded incredulously. Austin handed him a plate of waffles, and then turned to Pika. "How many pieces of French toast do you want today Pika?" he asked. "Hmm, I'll go with three." Pika said. "Alright, here you go." Austin replied. He handed Pika a plate of French toast. The three of us then got some butter and syrup, grabbed our drinks, and sat down.

- (Austin's POV)

After serving my friends, I started to help clean the kitchen. "Austin, you've helped enough. Your breakfast's on the counter there, go eat with your friends." The cafeteria lady said kindly. "Thanks Ms. Bartlett." I replied. I hung up the apron I had been wearing, and grabbed my plate. Surprisingly, my plate had a couple extra strips of bacon and a third piece of French toast. I was thankful because school servings never filled me up. Before I left, I turned around and said "Do you want help with lunch Ms. Bartlett?" "You can help whenever you want dear, just come five minutes early to get ready." Ms. Bartlett replied. I nodded and left.

I first went to the condiment bar and got some butter and syrup, as well as grabbing a drink from the drink bar. Ready to eat, I walked over and sat with my friends. They were excited about my transformation, and we had a great breakfast period talking about it. I also seemed to be the hot topic throughout class time. When lunch rolled around, I came five minutes early and donned an apron. Ms. Bartlett smiled at me, and I felt a warm feeling inside. Now that I was a Soleon, being nice felt even better.


	3. Chapter 2

Ash, Misty and Kellyn, the Top Rangers in charge of Kanto, walked into the Pallet Town Ranger Base one day to get info on any goings on. "Good Morning Tracey, how do things in Kanto look today?" Ash asked. "Things in Kanto look peaceful for now. Did you know the Ranger School graduation is today? I heard four lucky graduates are going to come work here!" Tracey replied. "Maybe we should drop by the graduation ceremony, and find out who our new coworkers are. You guys up for it?" Kellyn asked Ash and Misty. "Sure, we'd better get moving!" Misty replied. Kellyn, Ash and Misty headed outside and boarded the Ranger helicopter stationed at the base. Kellyn took the pilot's seat, and soon the trio was well on their way to Almia.

I woke up late graduation day, but it didn't matter; there were no classes. Pulling on a pair of pants- I was already wearing a t-shirt and undies- I climbed out of bed. My friends were already up, so I headed down to the cafeteria alone. As I exited the dorm, I noticed that I was the last one out of bed. I had been the first one out of bed all year, so I could get to the cafeteria early and help Ms. Bartlett. I figured that I deserved a day to sleep late.

As I walked down to the cafeteria, I could see groups of students talking excitedly about things. I wondered if there was some big rumor going around. I arrived in the cafeteria at about 9:30, and walked to the food counter. Ms. Bartlett was standing there, waiting to serve me. "Good morning Ms. Bartlett." I said. "Good morning Austin." she said. She handed me a plate of food, which had even more extra food than usual on it. "What's with the massive servings?" I asked curiously. "I have to use up all of the breakfast food today, so I used bigger servings. I still gave you a little extra for being so nice." Ms. Bartlett replied. "Okay, thanks Ms. Bartlett." I said.

I started to walk away, but then I remembered that I wanted to ask her something. I took a step backwards, and asked "Do you want any help with lunch Ms. Bartlett?" "I'd love some help, but you've got graduation practice, and I wouldn't dream of making you miss it." Ms. Bartlett replied. "It's OK Ms. Bartlett, we've already practiced it once in class, and Ms. April said she'd excuse me." I said. "Alright, if you're sure." Ms. Bartlett replied. "Okay, I'll see you at lunch!" I said.

I walked away from the counter, and over to the drink bar. After grabbing a glass of milk, and getting some syrup from the condiment bar, I sat down with my friends. All three of them had finished eating by now, and were just sitting there talking while they waited for me to come down. "Hey, nice to see you up Austin! Sleep well?" Tyler asked. "Yeah, I slept great." I replied. "Why do you always get more food than anyone else?" Justin questioned. "I've told you before, helping out the cafeteria lady has its perks." I replied.

"Enough of the chit-chat, have you heard the rumors Austin?" Pika asked. "No, but I saw several groups of students talking excitedly on my way down here." I replied. "Alright, you gotta hear this! Tyler, tell him!" Pika said excitedly. "Well, there's a rumor going around that four lucky graduates are going to be stationed at the Ranger Base in Pallet Town. If we're picked, not only would we be the first full Ranger team in Kanto, but we'd get to be near our families!" Tyler said.

"Awesome, I hope we get chosen!" I said excitedly. Justin, Tyler and Pika's families all live in Viridian City, and my Mom lives in Pallet Town, so it would be just perfect if we were assigned to the Kanto Ranger Base. "I also heard that some Ranger alumni are attending the graduation ceremony." Tyler said. "Cool, maybe we'll see someone famous!" I said. We continued to talk excitedly about the rumors as I ate. Once I finished, we returned upstairs and got ready for graduation practice.

We all reported to class for graduation practice at 11:00 as required. We began practice immediately, and it lasted until 12:30. I left early to help Ms. Bartlett prepare lunch. We used the last of this year's supplies to make cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chili dogs, chili cheese dogs, French fries, onion rings, and milkshakes. Everyone started piling in to eat at 12:35, so I left the cooking to Ms. Bartlett and quickly started serving people.

I shed a few tears as the last people were served; I was certainly going to miss helping Ms. Bartlett everyday. I took off the apron I was wearing, and hung it up. "Thanks for your help Austin; I'll miss having you in the kitchen next year." Ms. Bartlett said, shedding a few tears of her own. "I'll miss helping you too Ms. Bartlett." I replied. We shared a quick hug, and then Ms. Bartlett handed me some food. I received a plate with a cheeseburger, a chili cheese dog and onion rings on it. I also got a milkshake. Then Ms. Bartlett brought out a paper bag. "These are all the extra fries and onion rings, I figure you and your friends will make quick work of them." she said. "Thanks Ms. Bartlett." I replied.

I managed to control my emotions as I left the kitchen for the last time. I walked to the drink bar, grabbed a soda, and headed for my friends. I sat down at the old lunch table for the last time, and started eating. I shared the onion rings and fries with my friends as well, and they all enjoyed them. I saved the milkshake for last. Once I finished everything else, I attacked the milkshake. As I sipped it, I could tell it was extra chocolaty. "Thank you Ms. Bartlett…" I thought. Once I finished it, I headed up to the dorm to get ready for graduation.

The chopper touched down at a quarter til' 1:00. Ash, Misty and Kellyn rushed inside the Ranger School, and made their way to the staff room. Ms. April and the Principal were thrilled that they were attending the graduation. Ash, Misty and Kellyn were told that graduation would occur in fifteen minutes, so they prepared for it with the teachers while answering questions about Ash's odd appearance.

The graduation had begun very smoothly. All the graduates and a few parents were lined up as instructed. The teachers filed out of the staff room, and took their spots. The graduates gasped when they saw three Top Rangers stand at the front too, one of them appearing to be a giant bipedal Pikachu. "Hello, and welcome to the Ranger School graduation!" the Principal said. There was loud applause, but it died down quickly.

"First we're going to call up the class valedictorian to make a speech. A nerd walked to the front, and spoke for a minute or so. Then he sat down. "Okay, now we're going to pass out the diplomas." he said. He called names until he reached the D's. "Justin DIttrich!" he said. Justin walked up, received his diploma, and shook hands with all the adults. The principal continued, and eventually reached the K's. "Tyler Keith!" he said. Tyler did the same thing Justin did.

"Austin Ketchum!" the principal called. I walked up front, and received my diploma. I shook the Principal's hand, and Ms. April's hand. Then I shook hands with the first Top Ranger, a tall, brown haired man. Next, I shook hands with the second Top Ranger, whom I identified as the girl my big brother is always hanging out with. Then I stepped forward to the third Top Ranger, and my jaw fell to the floor. "Big Bro, you're a Top Ranger?" I exclaimed, "Wait, what happened to you?" "I could ask you the same thing!" he replied. "Boys, not now!" the Principal said sternly. The audience laughed. Ash and I shook hands, and then I hurried back to my spot.

The graduation continued, and Pika got his Diploma. "Okay, now I have an announcement to make." The Principal said. Everyone suddenly became very attentive. "There have been rumors going around the school, and they claim that a lucky group of graduates is going to be assigned to the Ranger Base in Pallet Town, Kanto. I'm going to put the rumor to rest; it's true. Four students have already been selected for duty in Pallet. Rest assured, the decision was made with everyone's best interest in mind. Now, I will announce the four students." The Principal said.

"Zach Wagner." he announced. Zach did a fist pump, and Justin, Tyler and I high fived him. "Tyler Keith." The Principal announced. We celebrated more, as two of us had been selected. "Justin Dittrich." the Principal announced. We again celebrated, sharing high fives. Now we all hoped my name would be called. "Alec Kane!" the Principal announced. I was shattered. Alec was another one of our friends who wasn't in our quad; his family also lives in Viridian. He would work in Pallet instead of me. The principal announced everyone else's assignments, but I wasn't given one.

Dejected, I hung my head as I headed back to the dorm. How was it possible that I graduated but wasn't assigned to a base? I didn't know, but I figured I wasn't going to be seeing my friends for a while. I reached our quad in the dorm, and climbed up to my bunk. Then I buried my face in my pillow and cried. Not even Soleons are happy all the time.

As I cried, I heard heavy footsteps coming towards my bed. "Go away!" I screamed. "Austin, calm down!" came the reply. It was my big brother. "What do you want?" I asked. "To explain why you weren't assigned to a Ranger Base, now calm down!" he said. That got my attention. Ash picked me up and held me, one arm around my back and the other under my rear. My legs fell on either side of his body, and my arms wrapped around his neck.

"Listen Austin, there's a reason that you weren't assigned to a Ranger Base." Ash said, "You're going to be working with me." "What?" I asked. "You're not going to be an Area Ranger; you're going to work with me as a Top Ranger in training." Ash said. I was stunned to say the least. "What does that mean?" I asked curiously. "It means you'll assist me on my missions, and once the Ranger Union deems you ready, you'll become a Top Ranger as well." Ash said. "Wow, awesome! Thanks big brother!" I exclaimed, hugging him. "You're welcome Austin." He said, hugging me back.

"Oh, I meant to ask, what happened to you big bro?" I asked curiously. "Well, earlier this year Team Rocket began a plot to change everyone into Pokémon. Misty and I broke into their base and prevented the plot from succeeding, but they managed to do this much to me before we destroyed their machine." he replied. "Wow…" I said. "Yeah…" Ash said, "I'm guessing you inherited that crazy curse that changes a member of our family into a Soleon?" I nodded. "Well hey; at least we're not alone in being part Pokémon." Ash said. "Yeah…" I said. I hugged him tightly, and added "I love you big bro." "I love you too Austin." he replied, hugging me back.

I had packed up all my stuff, and we were getting ready to leave. We would fly by chopper to Kanto, and prepare for our first day as official Area Rangers. I grabbed my bag, and slung it over my shoulder. I made sure I left my bed neatly made, and then I climbed down the ladder for the last time. As I walked away from the two bunk beds that my friends and I had called home for a year, I shed a few tears. Good memories flowed through my head as I tearfully left the dorm for the final time.

I walked down stairs to the main hallway, and into the cafeteria. I entered the kitchen, but Ms. Bartlett wasn't there. "I guess it's a good thing we said goodbye earlier…" I said to myself. Exiting the kitchen, I walked to the front of the school where my friends were waiting. "About time you got here!" Justin said. "Shut up JD…" I replied. I then jumped on the chopper and secured my bag. We all took our seats, and strapped in. "Kellyn, are you sure you can fly this thing?" Ash asked. "We made it here didn't we?" Kelly replied with a grin. "That is true." Ash replied, grinning as well. Without further ado, we took off towards Kanto.

On the way home from Almia, we stopped in a small town to refuel. While the chopper fueled up, I wandered off to a nearby field. It was full of flowers and grass, and seemed like a nice place for Pokémon to play around. As I looked in the field, I saw something yellow moving around. It looked like a Pikachu tail. Suddenly, the Pokémon popped its head up from the grass. Its fur appeared to be the color of a Raichu's, complete with a white belly. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it indeed had the fur pattern of a Raichu, complete with yellow cheeks. It had cute hair-like fur on its head, which matched the base of its ears. Its ears transitioned into black, and the tips were bright yellow.

I thought it was the coolest Pokémon I had ever seen. As I watched it, it stepped curiously closer to me. It eventually stopped at my feet, and cocked its head as it looked me over. Suddenly, it rolled over onto its back. My big brother's Pikachu did this occasionally, so I knew exactly what it wanted. Crouching down slowly, I extended a furry hand towards it. I began to gently rub its belly, and it emitted a soft "Chuuuuu…" in contentment.

"Austin, time to go!" my brother called suddenly. "I gotta go little guy." I said sadly. I stood up to walk away, and the Pikachu sat up and stared at me. "I wish I could stay longer, but I can't." I said. I turned and walked away, a tear falling down my face. As I walked, I heard rustling in the grass, but I figured it was my own footsteps. As I neared the chopper, everyone started looking at me. "Dude, cool Pikachu!" Justin remarked. I turned around to see the Raichu-like Pikachu standing behind me. It had followed me.

I crouched down, and it jumped into my arms. "He really seems to like you little bro." Ash said. I smiled. "Yeah, he does." I said. I climbed into the chopper, and the Pikachu showed no signs of aggression. As the chopper took off, he playfully climbed up onto my shoulder. "You know, you can name him if you want." Misty said. I had learned her name earlier.

"Okay. How about Riley, do you like that name little guy?" I asked. "Chu!" the Pikachu replied happily. "Okay, Riley it is!" I said, chuckling. I played with Riley the rest of the way home, excited that I finally had a partner Pokémon.

I woke up in bed the next morning, excited for my first day as a Pokémon Ranger. Riley was asleep at the end of my bed, so I did the best I could not to wake him as I got up. I stood up with a slight wobble; I was always dizzy in the morning. I wore a long light blue tee over my white, blue seamed briefs. My feet were bare, and the cool, hard wood floor felt soothing under them.

As I walked into the kitchen, I muffled a cough. I grabbed a box of Cocoa Poke Krispies, a bowl, and a spoon. Then I laid them out on the table, poured some cereal, and got the milk from the fridge. I poured some milk onto the cereal, and then put away it away before I ate. While I ate, my nose got slightly stuffed up, and I had to suck the snot back in. Then I coughed up some phlegm, and had to go spit it out in the sink. Even worse, my throat began to hurt as I swallowed.

Mom walked in and saw me coughing as I ate. "Are you feeling OK?" she asked. "I don't know, I think I might have strep." I answered. "It sure looks like it. You're staying home today." Mom said. I just nodded, and finished my cereal. After I ate it all, and cleaned up my spot at the table, I returned to my room and climbed back in bed. I was sad that I was missing the first day as a Ranger, but I knew it was necessary.

As I laid in bed, trying to go to sleep, my brother walked in. "I heard you're sick little bro." he said. "Yeah, I have to stay home while everyone else gets to be a Ranger…" I said. "Hey, don't be sad." Ash said, "The day I was supposed to get my first Pokémon, I overslept and ended up in my pajamas in public!" I giggled, that must have been a pretty funny sight. "I guess bad starts run in the family." I said. "Yeah…" Ash said, chuckling.

He talked with me a little while longer, which made me feel better. Still, he eventually had to leave and start his Ranger duties for the day. "Get some rest little bro, I'll see you later." Ash said as he headed for the door. "I will. I love you big brother." I said. He stopped, and turned around. He walked back over to my bed, and gave me a big hug. "I love you too little bro." he said. Then he ruffled my hair, and left. By this time, Riley had awakened, and cuddled up next to me. I petted him gently, and he purred in response. Eventually we both fell asleep again.

I awoke a couple days later, still not having started being a Ranger. My Strep was persistent, despite medicine. I walked into the kitchen much as I had the last few days, served myself cereal again, and ate it again. As I ate, I realized it seemed easier than before. Then I realized I was no longer coughing up phlegm, or coughing period for that matter. My throat felt fine, and my nose was barely congested.

When Mom walked in, I told her I felt great and wanted to start being a Ranger that day. "Well, we'll see about that. Let me see your throat." she said. She shined a flashlight down my throat, and looked at the back of it. "Well, it's not red anymore." She remarked. "You're not coughing, either… Does it hurt to swallow?" she asked. I shook my head. "Alright, I suppose you can start today." She said, cracking a smile.

"YAY!" I exclaimed. I ran into my room, and hugged Riley, who licked my face happily. Then my big brother walked in with a package. "I heard you're feeling better again little bro!" he said happily. "Yeah, I feel great!" I said. "Well, you should open this then, it came in the mail a few days ago." Ash said. "Cool!" I remarked. I opened the package excitedly, and pulled out a red device. "Sweet, my new Capture Styler!" I exclaimed. "Now you just need to put on your uniform. I'll be waiting outside when you're done." Ash said. I nodded, and he left. Then I walked over to my closet, and hastily started putting on my new uniform. I was ecstatic; I was finally going to be a Pokémon Ranger.

- (Half a year later)

The chopper touched down at the Ranger School at about 8:50. I climbed out, and turned around. "I'll be back to pick you up at around two, good luck!" Kellyn said from the pilot's seat. "Alright, have a safe flight!" I replied. Kellyn nodded, and then took off. Riley rode on my shoulder as I entered the school. I walked through the empty hallways to the staff room, where the principal was waiting. "Austin, nice to see you!" he said. "Nice to see you too." I replied. "Man, these kids just don't have the same stuff your class did… Anyway, how's your career going?" he asked. "Pretty well, I'm not a Top Ranger yet, but Ash thinks I'm getting close." I replied. "No doubt he's right; you were a very skilled student." The principal said. "That's nice of you to say." I replied, blushing a bit. The principal looked at his watch, and then said "Well, I suppose it's about time we got the Outdoor Class underway!" I nodded, and we made our way out to ascension square.

Shortly after we arrived, the students and teachers showed up. Ms. April was excited to see me, and actually hugged me. "Wow, this guy's even cooler than I thought he'd be!" one of the kids exclaimed. "Now now students, quiet down. This is a graduate from last year's class, his name is Austin." The principal said. The class started from there, and went well. Then we hit the most famous part of the Outdoor Class.

"Time for the Q & A of Terror!" Ms. April said. I prepared myself for a barrage of questions. "What are you?" was the first question asked. "An extinct Pokémon known as Soleon." I replied. "Cool…" the students remarked. "How did you end up like that?" was the next question. "A "curse" of sorts that's been passed down through my family." I replied. "Students, let's stick to questions that don't focus on Austin's personal life." The principal stated.

"What's it like to be a Ranger?" was the next question. "Well, you get to help people out every day, and work with some cool Pokémon." I replied, "Like Riley here for example." The class gawked at my unusual Pikachu. "Is it fun being a Ranger?" was the next question. "Is Mr. Kincaid strict?" I replied, chuckling. The class laughed too, and Mr. Kincaid fumed. "Calm down Mr. Kincaid, it was just a joke." The principal said.

The Outdoor Class turned out to be pretty fun, and I'm sure we were all a little sad when it ended. The teachers herded the students back to class, but before long it would be time for lunch. Then it hit me; I could visit Ms. Bartlett! Excused from any duties, I made my way to the cafeteria. It was quiet and empty inside, but I could hear noises from inside the kitchen. I peeked inside through the serving window, and sure enough, Ms. Bartlett was going to town cooking lunch.

I walked quietly inside the kitchen, and shut the door. I walked over to Ms. Bartlett, and tapped her on the shoulder. "WHA- AUSTIN?" she exclaimed. "Hey Ms. Bartlett." I said. She hugged me, and said "It's so nice to see you!" "It's nice to see you too." I replied, smiling happily. "So, how have things been going Mr. Pokémon Ranger?" she asked. "Great, Ash says I'm getting close to being a Top ranger." I replied. Ms. Bartlett and I continued to talk as I helped her prepare lunch.

The students piled into the cafeteria about fifteen minutes later, and I started serving them. They were all surprised to see me in the kitchen, but of course, I had expected as much. Lunch passed by quickly, and soon all the students were served. I turned around, and found Ms. Bartlett loading up a plate of food. She handed it to me and said "Thanks again for helping out." "Any time Ms. Bartlett." I replied. She grabbed her own plate of food, and we sat down at the table in the kitchen and ate.

We had a nice conversation, and I enjoyed getting to see Ms. Bartlett again. She thought Riley was cute, and even petted the little guy. As I finished eating, I glanced at the clock on my Capture Styler. It read 1:50. "Well, it's been nice seeing you Ms. Bartlett, but I have to go." I said. "Alright. Make sure you come back and visit the school again some time." she said. "I will Ms. Bartlett, I most definitely will." I said. We shared a hug, and then I left the kitchen and headed for the front of the school.

When I got outside, the clock read 1:58. The chopper was just now setting down, so I was right on time. I climbed in, and sat down in the copilot's seat. I shed a tear as I looked at the school one last time. I wouldn't be back for a while, not until graduation. Kellyn saw my tear and remarked "We've both got some precious memories in this school, I feel your pain." I looked over at him and said "Yeah, it was a great place to learn about being a Ranger." Kellyn nodded as he took one last look himself. He wrapped his right arm around me, and gave me a squeeze. "Come on, let's head home." He said. I nodded, and we took off into the skies of Almia.


End file.
